The number of cases of homeless veterans has been on the rise mainly because of poverty, lack of affordable housing, and mental illness as a result of war, drug, and substance abuse. Veterans have undergone specific barriers when seeking healthcare. These barriers include a lack of proper mental healthcare and military cultural concerns that discourage veterans from accessing medical care (Hester, 2017). A high number of veterans are homeless because of post-traumatic stress disorder and joblessness. The government has been aiding veterans by providing them with community health centers that support them (Mightyspark, 2020).
The government is also coming up with proper housing facilities to get them off the streets, which was one of the Healthy People 2020 projects (Yablonsky & Lamson, 2020). To deal with the veterans’ mental health, the government, in conjunction with the healthcare system, is giving therapy to veterans to aid in combat PTSD and depression.
References
Mightyspark. (2020). Facts about homeless veterans. Pine Street Inn. Web.
Hester, R. D. (2017). Lack of access to mental health services contributes to the high suicide rates among veterans. International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 11(47), 1-4. Web.
Yablonsky, A. M., & Lamson, A. (2020). Healthy military families 2020. Military Behavioral Health, 8(4), 361-363. Web.